Therapy
Normally, increased sweating at night during pregnancy is only an expression of the changes taking place and does not require treatment or therapy. In some cases, however, some signs of pregnancy can appear unpleasant or even disturbing for the expectant mother. In these cases, knowledge about the “normality” of these processes and the assurance that night sweats and hot flushes will disappear after the birth of the child or at the latest after the breastfeeding phase is completed is often helpful.
In many cases, prevailing symptoms are then no longer perceived as quite so unpleasant. In addition, a consultation on the factors that increase sweating is recommended, which should then be avoided if possible. Unfortunately, we cannot offer patients an actual and causal therapy for sweating during pregnancy.
Prognosis
Nocturnal sweating during pregnancy is only a temporary problem due to its cause. Some young mothers experience hot flashes of varying intensity even during their breastfeeding period. Often, however, all symptoms disappear with the birth of the child. Women who have suffered from heavy night sweating in previous pregnancies do not necessarily experience this problem again in subsequent pregnancies. There is also no link to later menopausal symptoms of this woman.
Prophylaxis
In order to protect themselves and the unborn child from possible dehydration, women who are pregnant and sweat a lot at night should drink sufficient quantities. Lukewarm drinks are best suited to this, as they do not additionally intensify the hot flushes. Those affected should avoid spicy foods and caffeine in order to avoid aggravating the symptoms.
Powerful antiperspirants (e.g. from the pharmacy) can help to contain the problem, as can shaving the body hair, as this prevents the sweat from evaporating over a longer period of time. A cool bedroom, which is generally always recommended, can also provide some relief. The most reliable method to diagnose an existing pregnancy is an early ultrasound examination by an experienced gynecologist.
From the 4th week of pregnancy onwards, the embryo can be seen in the lining of the uterus. Shortly afterwards, a special ultrasound technique (suction Doppler sonography) can be used to detect the fetal heartbeat.Even commercially available pregnancy test strips, which are generally relatively safe, may give a false result. This case is rare and unusual, but not impossible. If the pregnancy is confirmed, no further diagnostics are necessary to detect increased sweating; the treating and consulting physician relies on the subjective feelings of the pregnant woman and her descriptions.
